Nissan Altima (2012) vs. Mercedes-Benz GL (2014) Specs

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2012 Nissan Altima and 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Specifications

Model Year	2012	2014
Model	Nissan Altima	Mercedes-Benz GL
Engine	3.5L V6 DOHC-4v 270 hp@6000 258 lb-ft@4400	turbocharged 5.5L V8 DOHC-4v 550 hp@5750 560 lb-ft@2000
Transmission	6-speed shiftable CVT	7-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr SUV
			Difference
Wheelbase	109.3 in	121.0 in	-11.7 in
Length	190.7 in	201.6 in	-10.9 in
Width	70.7 in	76.4 in	-5.7 in
Height	57.9 in	72.8 in	-14.9 in
Curb Weight	3357 lb.	5687 lb.	-2330 lb.
Fuel Capacity	20.0 gal.	26.4 gal.	-6.4 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.6 in	41.2 in	-0.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.7 in	58.5 in	-2.8 in
Hip Room, Row 1	56.8 in	0.0 in	56.8 in
Legroom, Row 1	44.1 in	40.3 in	3.8 in
Headroom, Row 2	36.8 in	40.0 in	-3.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	55.5 in	58.3 in	-2.8 in
Hip Room, Row 2	52.5 in	0.0 in	52.5 in
Legroom, Row 2	35.8 in	38.5 in	-2.7 in
Headroom, Row 3	0.0 in	38.9 in	-38.9 in
Shoulder Room, Row 3	0.0 in	50.5 in	-50.5 in
Legroom, Row 3	0.0 in	35.0 in	-35 in
Total Legroom	79.9 in (over 2 rows)	113.8 in (over 3 rows)	-33.9 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum	15.3 ft³	16.0 ft³	-0.7 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind R2	15.3	49.4 ft³	-34.1
Cargo Volume, Maximum	15.3 ft³	93.8 ft³	-78.5 ft³

2012 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	I'm already stuck. In just about every other way aside from fuel economy the Altima is a good, even very good car, yet an unremarkable one. Either this, or a strength must be qualified with a "but." The latter is the case with the front seats. Inspired by the "zero gravity" seats designed by NASA for ultra-long-distance travel, the Altima's buckets feel substantial and fit like a glove. BUT...also check the reasons not to buy an Altima. Move to the back seat, and Nissan's midsize sedan has a clearer advantage. The comfortably padded rear seat cushions in both the Altima and the Fushion provide good thigh support--those in many competitors do not. The Altima's rear seat isn't quite the roomiest, but it is roomier than the Fusion's. see full Nissan Altima review

2012 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
	The NASA-inspired driver's seat is very comfortable and supportive, BUT its headrest juts so far forward that I had to remove it and reinsert it turned around. This severely compromises safety, but otherwise the headrest presses very uncomfortably against the back of my head. For this reason I doubt I could own an Altima. The average person, with a less vertical neck, won't have this problem. Just be sure to pay attention to this during your test drive. see full Nissan Altima review

2012 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.5L I4 CVT FWD	The seats are very comfortable, I would have been happy if both the driver and passenger were electronic. The lumbar support is fantastic and the driver seats is 8-way adjustable. For tall people this car will be a great ride. see full Nissan Altima review
2013	4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.5L I4 CVT FWD	Huge back seat for a sedan (legroom) and even three abreast is not that terrible. Big guys did not complain. see full Nissan Altima review
2012	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Roomy front seat room. see full Nissan Altima review

2012 Nissan Altima Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.5L I4 CVT FWD	Kids in the back seat love the limoesque space. I do enjoy anchor locks and the well placed seat belts. There is definitely some intelligent design and practice into everything and anything in this car. see full Nissan Altima review
2012	4dr Sedan 175-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Very comfortable. see full Nissan Altima review

2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2013	The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is just a little longer than the Audi Q7 (201.6 vs. 200.3 inches), and isn't as wide (76.4 vs. 78.1 inches). But the Mercedes is considerably taller (72.8 vs. 68.4 inches) and not nearly as curvy. Which might explain how it is far roomier than the much sleeker Audi. Combined legroom for all three rows is 107.6 inches in the Q7 vs. 113.8 inches in the GL-Class, a large difference. The Q7's space deficit grows the farther back you sit. For adults to even fit in the Audi's third row without extreme discomfort, those in the second row must slide their seats forward to the point that they are themselves short on knee room. While the new GL350's third row sits too low to provide thigh support, it's not nearly as cramped. Further evidence that Audi didn't intend the Q7's third row for frequent use: the second-row seat doesn't do a good job of getting out of the way, making the path in and out of the way-back perhaps the tightest I've experienced. The second-row seat in the GL-Class tips forward to open up a much wider path. If manually tipping the seat is too much of a chore (perhaps because you'e a five-year-old and haven't yet learned to read this), $400 buys a power assist. But even with this option the seat must be manually returned to its upright position, so the point eludes me. see full Mercedes-Benz GL review

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